It's hard letting go

I'm finally at peace but it feels wrong

Dust. There was only dust.

Orihime woke up in a cold sweat, her breath heavy. She had the dream again. Ulquiorra reaching for her, but before their hands could embrace, he was gone. Even when she extended her hand further, he still was not there. Why was this dream returning now? It had been over two years since Ulquiorra's death, and well over a year since she last had it. So, why now?

She called it a dream, but it was very much reality. He asked if she was afraid of him, and she said no, and it was the truth. He looked fearsome and, even, monstrous, but still she felt no fear. Maybe it was because of her heart. She knew, deep down in an unexplainable way, there was good in him. That was how she was able to move on, to relieve herself of her guilt for not saving him.

Before he fought Ichigo.

Before he killed Ichigo.

Before she brought Ichigo back, and sealed Ulquiorra's fate.

Slow, I'm getting up

My hands and feet are weaker than before

"Hey, Orihime!" She heard her friends calling her name, and forced a smile on her face. There was no reason for them to know her internal discord. They would only worry, and she would hate to cause that.

"Hey!" she hoped that she sounded happier than she felt.

"Are you okay, Orihime?" Rukia was smart like that. When Ichigo's powers were restored, she returned to the world of the Living, and even started to go to school with them again.

"O-of course!" She put on her best thinking face. "I was just wondering if ice cream would taste good with kimchee and red bean paste. What do you think?" she asked, turning her doe eyes to them.

Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, and Chad turned a shade of green. Come to think of it, she should probably write that down to try later.

"That sounds disgust-," Ichigo's comment was stopped by Rukia's foot.

"Maybe you should try it, Orihime, and let us know how it is," Ishida said diplomatically.

"That's gonna make her sick!" Ichigo said through Rukia's foot, still somehow lodged in his face.

"You need to be more supportive, Ichigo!" Rukia said, said finally sitting back down at her desk.

He scoffed. "I'm trying to save her a trip to my dad's clinic!"

"Oh, no! Don't worry about me! I have a super strong constitution!" She said, giving her stomach a punch for good measure.

"You know, I don't think that's necessary, Orihime," Chad said, also moving to his desk.

Orihime settled into her own seat, and took out her book. Unfortunately, her thoughts were so distracted by her dream, she just couldn't focus on the lesson. What does it mean? Was he somehow able to survive, and now evil robots are holding him hostage?! Did he send her the message to save him?

"I have to go to the bathroom!"

"So do I!"

"Me too!"

"And me!"

Orihime almost wanted to laugh as she saw he friends run out of the room to go fight a hollow, as if none of the Aizen stuff ever happened. It was just like old times.

Before she was kidnapped.

Before she felt compassion for her jailer.

Before she didn't save him.

And you are folded on the bed where I rest my head

There's nothing I can see; darkness becomes me

After the bell rang, Orihime immediately rushed off home, telling her friends that she just couldn't wait to try her latest food idea. Instead, she reached into her closet, and pulled out a black box. Lifting the lid, she pulled out the white suit with black trimmings. She didn't know why she saved it. She just did. Keeping it folded, she placed it on her pillow.

"Are you afraid of me, woman?"

"No, I'm not."

"I see."

What did he see? He had told her that if his eye couldn't see it, it wasn't there. So how could he see her that she was unafraid? That would mean that he could see her heart, and then it hit Orihime like a ton of brick to the face.

He had found the heart. He reached out to her because he could see her heart. He truly could have been saved. Her eyes began to water. What could she have done? There was no piece of him to heal, and what if he intended to finish his fight with Ichigo? She couldn't have risked that, but if he found the heart, maybe he would have given up. Maybe even helped them.

Orihime laid her head down next to her outfit, and finally let the tears fall, as she drifted off to sleep.